Drawing apparatus.



P. W. BOLAND & A. D. ALEXANDER.

DRAWING APPARATUS.

4 APPLICATION FILED 001:; 28, 1010.

Patented J an. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOFL5 WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLA NOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

F. W; BOLAND & A. D. ALEXANDER.

" DRAWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OGT. 23,1910. 1,050,605, Patented Jan.14,1913.

. 2 SHEETS-$113M 2.

Q '3 h m Qj 7F I\ I ll 2 '2 H k g ii y 1 w w w v N m "1 WITNESSES Q) mvzmons COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-.WASHINGTON. 0. c4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. BOLAND AND ALFRED D. ALEXANDER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAWING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14,1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FREDERICK W. Bo- LAND and ALFRED D. ALEXANDER, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,citizens of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Drawing Apparatus, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in drawing apparatus and has for its object means for adjustably supporting a straight edge in operative relation to a drawing surface whether the latter is in a horizontal, vertical or intermediate position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for the shifting of a drawing surface back and forth relative to the straight edge without changing its position in directions at an angle to such shifting.

It is also an object of the invention to provide for holding the straight edge yielding against the drawing surface without interfering with the relative movements of either.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Inthe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is an elevation of a drawing board having our improvement applied thereto, Fig. 2 is an end view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow at Fig. 1 with the box removed and a portion being broken away; Fig. 3 is a sectional View the plane of section being indicated by the line IIIIII Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the boX at one end of the board showing the box open for the insertion of a roll of paper; Fig. 5 is an enlarged View showing the carriage for the straight edge or ruler and its supporting rail; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view looking at the underside of the carriage showing a suitable means for pressing the straight edge against the drawing surface.

In the practice of our invention the carriage 1 is provided with rollers 2 grooved for the reception of the guiding rail 3 which is adapted to be supported in operative relation to a drawing surface by any suitable means, as for example the posts 4. The ruler or straight edge 5 is adjustably attached to the carriage preferably by means of an arm 6 formed integral with or otherwise secured to the carriage. As the guide rail and carriage are supported some distance at one side of the plane of the drawing surface the arm is made angular as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 so that the ruler or straight edge may rest upon or be supported closely adjacent to the drawing surface. In order that the ruler or straight edge may be adjusted to any desired angular position relative to the line of movement of the carriage the ruler is pivoted to the arm at point 7 distant from its free end and is provided adjacent to such end with a slot 8 through which projects a threaded pin attached to the ruler. By loosening the nut 10 on the pin the ruler may be shifted to any desired angular position and there held by tightening the nut.

In order to hold the carriage at any desired point along the rail and also to prevent movement around the rail a brake is employed. IVhile not limiting the invention to the specific construction shown the brake may consist of a lever 11 pivotally mounted on the carriage and having one end grooved to fit the rail as shown in Fig. 1. A spring 12 is arranged in such manner as to normally press the head of the lever against the rail, thereby locking the carriage at any desired point.

While the Weight of the arm and ruler would be sufficient to turn the carriage on the rail to permit the ruler to bear on the drawing surface, when the latter is in a horizontal position or approximately so, they will be ineffective for such purpose when the drawing surface is in a vertical position or approximately so. The mainte nance of the ruler in operative relation to the drawing surface regardless of position of the latter i. 6. whether horizontal or vertical provision is made for applying spring pressure to the carriage in such manner as to constantly tend to turn the carriage on the guide rail. A convenient construction to that end consists of a lever 13 pivotally mounted on the carriage and having a roller 1 1 so mounted thereon as to roll along a ledge 15 formed in the guide rail. The free end of the lever which is made resilient bears against a pin 16 on the carriage. The several parts of this device are so arranged as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 that pressure tending to turn the carriage in the direction of the arrow b is constantly applied to the carriage and parts carried thereby.

WVhile the carriage can he slipped off of the rail it is preferred that the rail 3 should be attached to a support which can be so shifted as to swing the rail carriage etc. to a position that will permit free access to the drawing surface. In the embodiment of our invention shown in this case the posts 4 carrying the rail 3 is secured to the cover 17 of one of the boxes which are provided at opposite ends of the board 18. These boxes which are designed to contain rollers 19 for the paper, are divided diagonally as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Bearings 20 20 for the shafts 21 of the rollers are secured in the inclined edges of the ends of the body portions 22 of the boxes. These bearings 20 are open on their upper sides and although the shafts may be held in position in bearings by the tops or covers 17 when closed, it is preferred to employ sliding bars 23 for that purpose. The bearings 20 are partially closed on top the shafts being inserted endwise. In lieu of making the shafts continuous through the rollers it is preferred to make them in sections which are inserted in opposite ends of the rollers as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. One removable shaft section of each roller is provided with an operating handle 24 and disk 25.

In order to keep the paper stretched tightly over the board 18 tension devices are applied to the rollers. A convenient construction for that purpose consists of disks 25 secured to the rollers, and blocks 26 connected by springs to arms 27 which are so arranged within the covers 17 that the blocks will bear against the peripheries of the disks when the cover is closed. The free ends of the arms project through slots in the face sides of the cover and toothed plates 28 are secured in such relation to the slots that the arms may be held in different positions according to the tension to be applied to the paper and to lock the rolls against rotation. The tops of the covers are made of such widths that narrow slots will be formed between the ends of the board 18 and the edges of the cover tops for the passage of the paper. It is preferred that small rollers 29 should be arranged in these slots to facilitate the movements of the paper.

e claim herein as our invention:

1. In a drawing apparatus the combination of a rail adapted to be supported adjacent to the drawing surface, a carriage, rollers adapted to engage the rail and mounted on fixed axes at diagonally opposite corners of the carriage, yielding means arranged respectively on opposite sides of the carriage and engaging the rail for holding the rollers in engagement with the rail and a straight edge mounted on the carriage.

2. In a drawing apparatus the combination of a rail adapted to be supported adjacent to a vertical or approximately vertical drawing surface, a carriage, two rollers respectively mounted on fixed axes at diagonally opposite corners of the carriage and adapted to engage opposite sides of the rail, a laterally extending straight edge at tached to the carriage at a point intermediate the rollers and adapted to hold the latter in engagement with the rail and means mounted on the carriage and engaging the rail for preventing an accidental movement of the carriage on the rail.

3. In a drawing apparatus the combination of a rail adapted to be supported adjacent to the drawing surface, a carriage arranged on said rail and movable along and around the rail, spring actuated means for automatically locking the carriage as against movement along and around the rail and a straight edge or ruler carried by the carriage.

4:. In a drawing apparatus, the combination of a rail adapted to be supported adjacent to the drawing surface, a carriage arranged on said rail and movable along and around the same, means interposed between the carriage and rail for moving the carriage around the rail and a straight edge or ruler carried by the carriage.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

FREDERICK W. BOLAND. ALFRED D. ALEXANDER. Vitnesses ALICE A. TRILL, G. G. TRILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

